WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Whether you're a veteran or wounded warrior looking for a job or an employer looking for qualified candidates, the 4th Annual Wounded Warrior Hiring and Support Conference is the place to be May 28-29 in Raleigh, N.C.

The two-day conference at the Hilton North Raleigh/Midtown, builds on the Department of the Navy's theme, "Hiring Our Nation's Heroes," with a call to action, "Meet the Challenge: Hire a Veteran!"

North Carolina is home to one of the largest wounded warrior and veteran populations in the country, and the Raleigh/Durham area is easily accessible to multiple warrior transition units and veteran-focused organizations.

The first day, May 28, is employer-focused, with sessions designed to share best practices and innovative ways to recruit, hire, train and retain our nation's wounded warriors and veterans.

Day two, May 29, features a career fair for employers to connect with veterans and wounded warriors who are resilient, have triumphed over adversity, and demonstrated personal integrity and the ability to learn new skills. The second day also offers veterans, wounded warriors, spouses and family members the opportunity to attend workshops on career assessment and goal setting; how veterans' skills translate to civilian jobs; and military credentialing, licensing and veteran initiatives.

"Our goal is to increase the number of wounded warriors hired into the Department of the Navy, the federal civil service and the private sector," said Juan Garcia, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. "The Navy has hired many wounded warriors since we started our initiative. Last year, the Navy hired about 1,300 wounded warriors, and about 2,000 the year before. To put that in perspective, for every 10 new hires, one is a wounded warrior."

The Wounded Warrior Hiring and Support Conference is sponsored by Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, and co-hosted by Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Sea Systems Command and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. The conference is supported by DoN's Office of Civilian Human Resources, Navy Safe Harbor and the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service.